There are many various types of samples that can be used to analyse human remains, however in forensic toxicology scientist are looking for minute trace amounts of substances that could have caused a death to occur. These samples usually consist of urine, blood, hair, nails and other post mortem bodily fluids. By examining these samples scientist are able to analyse the chemical compounds found within in the body and identify if there is any trace of drugs or poisons within the remains.
Urine:
Urine is one of the most common samples forensic toxicologists will use when testing for drugs as it will produce a higher concentration of the substance then any other form of sample(Napoletano S et al. 2012) It is also effective at helping the scientist create a timeline as trace amounts of poisons or drugs will remain in the urine even for weeks after it has been ingested. A urine sample is also a non invasive sample to acquire especially if the sample is being collect pre-mortem. It has a long life period in relation to detection allowing the scientist to have a longer length of time to collect and analyse it (Napoletano S et al. 2012)
Hair: Hair has the ability to allow forensic toxicologist to detect long term drug abuse as the chemicals pass from the blood stream into the follicle of the hair staying there as it grows. The amount of chemicals found within the hair sample can also tell the scientist the levels at which the drug or poison was taken. A hair sample is often used when urine or blood are no longer reliable as it gives a longer timeline for detection. This will however vary from person to person as cutting your hair and even dying it can affect the level of chemicals that stay within the hair and can be traced.(Daniel. R et al. 2004).
Blood:
Blood is a common sample used by forensic toxicologist to analyse the possibility of the remains being affected by drugs or poisons. It will have high concentration of the substance if the sample is collected close to when the poison or drug was taken. It will however become less and less helpful as time passes as the substances will make there way out of the blood stream leaving very little to be detected by the forensic toxicologist. Blood is an invasive sample to collect pre-mortem and has a very short detection period.(Tolliver, S, 2010).
Nails:
Nail samples are very much like hair samples and allow forensic toxicologists to detect long term drug abuse. They are often collected post mortem and will give a clear indication of how long a person was taking a substance. This is again because the chemicals stay within the nail as it grows giving it a longer detection period (Daniel. R et al. 2004).
Through the detection and use of these samples forensic scientist are able to solve crimes and determine what may have been the cause of death (Daniel. R et al. 2004).
There are many various types of samples that can be used to analyse human remains, however in forensic toxicology scientist are looking for minute trace amounts of substances that could have caused a death to occur. These samples usually consist of urine, blood, hair, nails and other post mortem bodily fluids. By examining these samples scientist are able to analyse the chemical compounds found within in the body and identify if there is any trace of drugs or poisons within the remains.
Urine:
Urine is one of the most common samples forensic toxicologists will use when testing for drugs as it will produce a higher concentration of the substance then any other form of sample(Napoletano S et al. 2012)
It is also effective at helping the scientist create a timeline as trace amounts of poisons or drugs will remain in the urine even for weeks after it has been ingested.
A urine sample is also a non invasive sample to acquire especially if the sample is being collect pre-mortem. It has a long life period in relation to detection allowing the scientist to have a longer length of time to collect and analyse it (Napoletano S et al. 2012)
Hair:
Hair has the ability to allow forensic toxicologist to detect long term drug abuse as the chemicals pass from the blood stream into the follicle of the hair staying there as it grows. The amount of chemicals found within the hair sample can also tell the scientist the levels at which the drug or poison was taken. A hair sample is often used when urine or blood are no longer reliable as it gives a longer timeline for detection. This will however vary from person to person as cutting your hair and even dying it can affect the level of chemicals that stay within the hair and can be traced.(Daniel. R et al. 2004).
Blood:
Blood is a common sample used by forensic toxicologist to analyse the possibility of the remains being affected by drugs or poisons. It will have high concentration of the substance if the sample is collected close to when the poison or drug was taken. It will however become less and less helpful as time passes as the substances will make there way out of the blood stream leaving very little to be detected by the forensic toxicologist.
Blood is an invasive sample to collect pre-mortem and has a very short detection period.(Tolliver, S, 2010).
Nail samples are very much like hair samples and allow forensic toxicologists to detect long term drug abuse. They are often collected post mortem and will give a clear indication of how long a person was taking a substance. This is again because the chemicals stay within the nail as it grows giving it a longer detection period (Daniel. R et al. 2004).
Through the detection and use of these samples forensic scientist are able to solve crimes and determine what may have been the cause of death (Daniel. R et al. 2004).
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